School Culture Committee: Explained

By Mariah Gaines (Junior), Rose-Carlie Pierre (Freshman)

At Obama Academy we are grateful to have numerous clubs and groups composed of students and staff working to make the school the best it can be. Some operate rather publicly, in a manner that can be easily observed by members of the school community and others operate a little more behind the scenes. The School Culture Committee (SCC) is one of those groups that has yet to become a classroom name. 

The School Culture Committee is a newly formed group of teachers that works to improve the school experience for all students. Their goal is to create an environment and culture where people are in school to go to class, have fun, and be safe. Currently, it is composed of four teachers, Ms. Bordner, Mr. Bynum, Ms. McConnell, and Mr. Roa. They started the committee this spring in response to the turbulence they saw last school year. The resounding displeasure with the events of last year inspired them to take action. Mr. Roa said that they plan to take on challenges on an as-needed basis. They take on a few issues at a time, work towards a solution for them, implement their solutions, and then assess their success. It is if they feel they have succeeded they will simply move on to the next challenge. 

This year the SCC has been focusing on the school hallways and phones. Many of the new policies surrounding these topics have come from the SCC, including the implementation of phone pouches, hall sweeps, and after school programming. Mrs. Stovash, a teacher not on the committee though enthusiastic about its mission, said that she is “super excited about their job so far,” and thinks it is “[bringing] back what the purpose of going to school is, which is to learn.”

Mr. Roa said that as the year goes on the committee hopes to increase other things such as school spirit, building entrance and exit efficiency, and amount of school activities. However he also added that if they see a need for something else to be handled they are prepared and willing to take that on as well. 

When asked if the SCC would invite student involvement and input Mr. Roa said that on some issues, yes, and on others, not so much. The process is trial and error and as new things come up this year and in years to follow he is willing to see things evolve and grow. 

At the end of the year the SCC hopes to send out a schoolwide survey to gather information from students as to how they feel the year went. This will help the committee plan for the following year. Until then, should a concern arise, the committee is there with open ears.